Conversion of plain power looms into continuous weft feeding looms

Mechanical/Electronics
National Third

S. Shanmugam
Salem, Tamil Nadu
Scout: SEVA

Background Since childhood, he had active interest in reading Institute of Textile Technology. It was offered for
books rather than playing games and spent most duration of six months under the “Community
Shanmugam (26 years) is presently in the third year of his time in the village library. It was here, while in Polytechnic Scheme”.
of Diploma course in Textile technology specialising class 12th , that he read an article on NIF in a
in Weaving at SSM Institute of Textile Technology magazine and got interested in the campaign and There he discussed his ideas with the faculty and
in Namakkal, Tamil Nadu. He developed a later submitted his entry. the principal, who initially laughed away at his
technique to convert plain power looms suggestions. Some how, he convinced the principal
into continuous weft feeding looms, without Genesis to give him a try. Having gained permission, he
changing the pirns frequently. He got admission successfully proved his technique.
directly in second year of this course and that too After completion of his studies, his parents coaxed
because of his innovations, which started when he him to work in his uncle’s power loom centre as a The dobby systems in power looms are being used
was still in school. There are not many examples daily wager. There he observed the wastage of time only for making border designs but he proved that
of this kind that have to come to NIF’s notice so far and requirement of manpower in changing the pirn dobby systems could be used for weaving of fabric
in the country. windings in power loom systems. He started with multiple colours. This, he displayed by making
thinking of new ideas to over come these problems. slight modifications in shuttles and the dobby.
Shanmugam belongs to weaver’s community.
Around two hundred families living in his village earn To begin with, he secretly started experimenting at Acknowledging and appreciating his innovative
their living by weaving and agriculture, growing his uncle’s power loom without being noticed. thinking, college authorities offered him direct
cotton, sorghum and millets. Though he met with failures, he made sure that the admission in the second year of diploma course in
productivity of machine was not compromised textile technology. Pursuing his second year
He is the second child of his parents and has an because of his experimentation. courses, he was also allowed to keep his innovation
elder sister who is married and a younger brother going as a curriculum based project work, which
who is studying in second year of Diploma in Textile As he was interested in learning advancements in otherwise is allowed for final year students only.
marketing management, in the same college as the textile industry, he grabbed on an opportunity
Shanmugam. to take free classes on yarn dyeing, offered by SSM He also had his innovation published in an article

Fourth National Technological Innovations & Traditional Knowledge Awards 15

All shuttle looms can be modified in such a way Fifty percent of the total warp threads are lifted at a
that weft can be inserted continuously without time and the remaining are kept down for the first
frequent pirn change. This method can be used in pick and for the next pick the system is reversed.
all types of plain looms attached with dobby and To enable this, the heald frames are connected to
also with drop box/under pick/pick and pick dobby in such a manner that there is no collision in
mechanisms. between the healds.

In ordinary weaving, one has to change the weft The dobby mechanism can be used to select the
yarn during a weft pirn exhaust. In this new method weft colours as and when required. A special mail
to maintain. The productivity improvement in terms
two weft cones stands are provided at sides of the eye is fitted in the dobby and they are lifted so that
of saving of time for weft replenishment is from fifteen
loom and they are specially arranged so that they the required colour weft can be drawn through a
to twenty percent. Further fabric quality obtained
have the capability of controlling yarn tension and particular mail eye. An additional hole has been
from this innovation is quite good due to very few
electronic weft stop motion. The yarn from the pirn made in the shuttle to give proper tension of pirn
stoppages for weft replenishment.
is only used to bind the weft taken from the cones. threads, which interlock the pirn from the cones.
By doing so, expense on pirn winding is reduced.
In the preparatory operation, the weft winding, which
With this system one can weave half of the fabric
includes a separate machinery and manpower is
This method of weaving takes place by two weft with one colour, another half with a different colour
practically eliminated. It results in a considerable
threads so that the fabric is dense and with good by keeping two different colour threads in both sides
saving in terms of manpower, machinery and floor
of the cones. By providing more number of cones
space.
of different colours at the feeding end (selection
of weft colours by dobby) one can weave stripe
In praise of Shanmugam’s innovation, the Principal
or check patterns without drop-box mechanism.
of SSM Institute of Textile Technology says, “this
innovation will lead to significant improvement in
The advantages of this system are numerous.
productivity in the existing low-cost conventional
For wider width looms this method is very much
power looms. It can be readily applied in almost all
suitable. Small sectors in the country can
the power loom weaving clusters. Also, it results in
increase their fabric production without any
a considerable saving in terms of man power,
additional expenses. Using this method one can
machinery and floor space.”
weave fabrics like cotton, rayon, polyester, silks
using normal plain power looms.
Coming from a weaving background, Shanmugam
wants to develop low-cost technologies for traditional
The electronic warp stop motion and electronic
weaving community so that they can upgrade their
weft stop motion on these looms give a fault free
life style.
fabric. The system is less expensive and easy

16 National Innovation Foundation